


Strongtower Luxury Apartments

by RainyDayWrites



Category: Dimension 20, Fantasy High
Genre: Dungeons and Dragons, F/M, Goblin/Elf
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-08
Updated: 2019-07-01
Packaged: 2019-10-06 19:35:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17351309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainyDayWrites/pseuds/RainyDayWrites
Summary: Sklonda and Gilear find their lives a little more empty than usual with their children incarcerated. As they try to carry on with their lives they gravitate toward one another.





	1. Home Alone

The apartment hadn’t felt this empty for Sklonda in over five years. As she returned home from work after saying goodbye to Riz, it felt hard to breathe. It took conscious effort to close the door on her way in, the bottle of Dwarven whiskey in her hidden office on her mind. She needed a drink before she could think. Sklonda had a lot to think about. Sitting not at her own desk but at Pok’s, she wiped out an old fashioned glass on her shirt and left it untucked as she poured a heavy measure of whiskey into her glass.

A migraine tingled at Sklonda’s temples and she fought it off with a sip from her glass. For a woman who usually wanted the world to quiet down, she would give anything to hear Riz rifling through the newspaper muttering to himself right now. Or his friends piling on top of each other to collaborate on their next vigilante exploit. Anything but the silence that now saturated her small apartment. She was thankful she would likely be too busy in the coming weeks to notice. Or at least she hoped so.

Running her tongue along her pointed teeth as she tried to sort out what had changed since Arthur Aguefort had died, Sklonda lost herself in the details. She’d polished off the whiskey in her glass without tasting it and was roused from her daze to the sound of a knock at her front door. The noise is almost startling and it took a moment before she mobilized, closing up the panel to the office behind her before finally answering the door.

Sklonda caught sight of a retreating elf she recognized as Gilear, Fig’s dad. “Hey—” She called out in an attempt to halt him. “Did you want something?” the words felt almost hostile and she mentally cursed at herself. Gilear froze in the hallway and turned slowly on the spot. For such a small woman she had a remarkable ability to intimidate. Apart from wanting to see her, Gilear had at least come up with a reason to come calling. “I was…wondering if you knew where my daughter was.” He looked bashful, pointed pale ears tinted red with an embarrassed flush. “She’s usually spending time with your son and she stole my car so I don’t have the keys and I’m- uh… I’m locked out of my apartment.” Gilear rubbed the back of his neck roughly, gaze cast down to a corner to avoid seeing her initial reaction to his statement and only glancing back up once he was reasonably sure she’d have a more polite expression set in place.

The answer had stunned Sklonda for a brief moment and she blinked a few times. “Where were you going to go if I didn’t answer?” She asked, cocking a brow at him. Again everything she seemed to say came out like an interrogation. Gilear recoiled slightly and returns his focus to the floor. “I was going to prop myself up by my door and head into work early to use the school showers.” Sklonda found herself with her hands on her hips as she listened to his plan. “Wow- you uh- you’ve been thinking about this for a bit huh?”

Gilear’s expression grew even more ashamed. “I- realized I wouldn’t be able to enter my apartment on my walk home- I didn’t have any change for the bus and… well… here I am.” He took in a deep shaky breath, trying to inject himself with some kind of dignity. Any kind of dignity at all. He stood several paces away from Detective Gukgak’s door, every fibre of his being begged him to retreat and lick his wounds. Sklonda was caught in a strange position. She didn’t know Gilear that well but she did feel very sorry for him. And she did know where his daughter was. She pinched the bridge of her nose. “I know where your daughter is. But you’re uh- you’re not going to like it.” She opened the door a little wider and stepped out of the way. “Come in, you can sit down and uh-… And stay the night I guess.”

The kindness of the gesture caught Gilear off guard and he had to be prompted one more time before he entered her apartment. Taking off his shoes he watched as Sklonda cleared off the couch for the two of them to sit. “You want some coffee or- water or something?” She turned to look at him awkwardly shuffling in her entranceway. Gilear glanced around and agreed almost without thinking. “Yes, some water sounds quite nice, actually.” He settled down on the couch as she filled two glasses from the sink. “You mentioned you know where my daughter is?” He tried to forget that she’d also said he wouldn’t like where she was.

Sklonda sat down beside Gilear, offering him one glass and clutching the other. “She’s in a holding cell. She and Riz…. Their group of friends are being charged. There’s a lot going on and I can’t say much with any certainty right now. But I’m working on getting them out. I promise.” She reached out and touched his hand, her much smaller fingers curling around a few of his. “Your keys are probably still with Fig, we can pick them up in the morning can get your car out of the impound before you have to go to work.”

Well she was right. He didn’t like knowing where she was. Not only was Fig in prison but he was almost certain that Sandra-lynn had known and hadn’t reached out to tell him. He decided to focus on Sklonda’s words which only brought more disarming kindness. His fingers turned into hers, thumb running along her knuckles. “Thank you, I- I don’t know how I can repay you.” He couldn’t muster the strength to check her expression and focused on the surface of the water in his glass instead.

Sklonda let out a soft sound as she exhaled. “You don’t need to repay me. We’re just- we’re in this together.” She squeezed his fingers gently, a plethora of thoughts and feelings mingling with the rather hefty drink she’d had earlier. Gilear thought back to both Riz’s ham-handed query and Fig’s attempts at affirmations from earlier. He still didn’t believe in himself but the points of pressure from Sklonda’s nails made his stomach swim with nerves. He had never thought he’d find a Goblin beautiful. Never in his life had he thought he’d feel anything let alone any kind of carnal urge for anyone who wasn’t at least an Elf. But here he was. Feeling very carnal feelings for a Goblin he was certain was too much woman for him.

“You’ve been so kind to me…” He felt his heart beating rapidly against the back of his ribs. “I’ll be honest, it’s been a long time and I don’t know how to act.” Gilear admitted, trying to excuse his awkward behaviour as he stared down at their hands which were still linked. “I’m sorry- That came out a little- I don’t know how that came out.” His brows had been knit together for so long he was getting a headache. He took a swallow of the glass of water he’d been awkwardly holding since it had been handed to him. Sklonda set her glass down and hesitated as she tried to sort out what she planned on doing. This wasn’t a good idea. This was the opposite of a good idea, she knew that, and yet she didn’t stop herself.

With her hand free she guided his glass down and leaned in and planted a kiss on him. From what encounters she’d had with him she had the feeling he wouldn’t make a move on his own. She felt him panic against her lips, the heat from his cheeks radiated against her own. Gilear dropped his glass of water and broke from the brief contact with an apology. “I’m terribly sorry, I’ve made a mess. I’ll uh- I’ll help you clean it up.” He struggled briefly, frantically searching for something to mop up the water with. Sklonda sighed and stood, fetching a towel from the bathroom hamper. “It’s fine Gil, really.” She tried to assure him, kneeling down as she mopped up the spill. “Don’t worry about it, this is really the least of my troubles.” She didn’t want to address what she’d just done. And neither did Gilear, it seemed. He stuttered and stumbled into silence, his heart racing.  
  
Once the floor was reasonably dried and no progress had been made in their conversation Sklonda took in a deep breath and made the call. “Well it’s late, I should try and get a little sleep. You can take my bed and I’ll take Riz’s.” She got up and led Gilear toward the bedroom. Gilear hesitated. He didn’t need to take a bed to go into a trance. He had gotten into the habit of sleeping to pass some of the time away. Being fully conscious for twenty hours out of the day wasn’t so appealing while living alone.

The bed was a Goblin-sized queen and, even after five years, the room that contained it held clear signs of another man. Gilear tried not to look around the room too much, instead estimating how much space he would take up on the bed. “If-… if we got close- uh… if-… uhm… If we-…” He mimed his meaning, holding his hands a few inches apart. “If we embraced we might both fit on this uh- this bed.” Sklonda’s gaze shot up, now it was her turn to feel a little awkward. “Embraced?” She asked for clarification, unsure if he was using a euphemism or not. He wasn’t entirely sure himself and he swallowed thickly.

“That- uh-… I mean- We could… hold one another.” He stared down at his hands and scolded himself for the suggestion until he felt a hand touch the middle of his lower back, leading him deeper into the bedroom. “You know what? I like the sound of that.” Sklonda slipped over toward her dresser as Gilear sat down on the edge of the bed, pulling off his socks and focusing on his feet while she changed into nightclothes. He regretted not having anything to change into. In a t-shirt night dress and a pair of shorts Sklonda stood in front of her Elven guest, looking him up and down. “Do you- uh… You have to wear those out to get your car in the morning- I don’t mind if you- uh… If you strip down.” She offered, shifting her weight from foot to foot for a moment.

Gilear is taken aback by the suggestion and almost declines out of bashfulness until he remembers the short-lived kiss. It stops him from getting a word of rejection out. “That’s- I- I think I might, yes. Thank you.” He unbuttons his shirt and begins to shuck his clothing, halting at his underwear and leaving them on, hastily hiding himself under the blanket. Sklonda shut off the light, making her way back to the bedside easily in the dark. The darkness had suddenly made everything that much more intimate, Gilear could feel panic rise in his chest again as he felt her weight on the mattress beside him and her compact frame pressing in against his bare skin. His tongue felt heavy and awkward in his mouth, the flush that had been making him dizzy now seeming to infect his whole body as he felt her closer than he ever had before.

Sklonda hadn’t lay beside anyone in a long time and crawling into bed to feel Gilear’s malleable flesh under her body sent a shiver through her. She crawled atop him, resting her head on his chest and the very physical weight against him was almost entirely surreal to Gilear. She contrasted him almost completely and yet he couldn’t help but be drawn to her. He wanted to be worth her time. He just didn’t know how. Sklonda nuzzled in closer, getting comfortable where she lay. She made a slow pleased noise when she felt fingers in her hair against her scalp. Maybe it was the whiskey or the all the bad choices she was making but she didn’t fight it when her eyes started to water. Her shoulders shook with a few silent sobs and she squeezed onto Gilear as the weight of the past few days finally collapsed on her.

Gilear stroked down her diminutive back with a few fingers once he’d realized she was crying. He cradled her head in one hand, kissing through her hair. His own cheeks were damp with solemn tears he’d initially felt shame for shedding. Now being mutually vulnerable it seemed safer to feel his pain more honestly. Sleep took the two of them in the midst of emotional exhaustion.

They would leave everything else for the morning. 


	2. Diner Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gilear and Sklonda have breakfast together, Sklonda promises to see Gilear after work

They woke to the sound of Sklonda’s alarm in the early morning and if it weren’t for the fleshy gut cushioning her, she might’ve believed the night before hadn’t happened. Gilear seemed equally shocked to actually find himself still in Detective Gukgak’s bed with her draped over him. In the moments before they started to separate, Gilear bravely followed through with an urge to stroke his fingers over the back of her thigh while she still remained pressed against him. The act caused Sklonda to pause on her way out of bed, glancing up to catch his expression. For the briefest moment the rest of the world was on hold and she rocked her weight against him with a feral little purr. “We have work.”

The sleepy rumble in Sklonda’s tone has Gilear weak all over, his fingers trembling on the inside of her toned thigh. “I wish we didn’t.” His words came out in a breathless whimper. Something playful was roused in the detective at her guest’s tone, Sklonda crawled up his body and nibbled one of his pointed ears all the while squeezing his chest with her thighs. “I’ll make it worth the wait.” She promised tweaking one of his nipples gently before slipping away from him. Gilear gasped, a shock of surprise and excitement snapping through him, his hands reaching out for her. He wanted desperately to be impatient but instead started to redress in his clothes from the previous day.

Sklonda tossed on a fresh outfit, stealing a glance at Gilear while he was occupied with dressing. He had a body soft from inactivity and a lack of personal care and a little more body hair than one usually found on an elf but she decided she liked that about him. He was charming in his own little way. “Do you want to head to the diner for breakfast together before we pick up your car? It’ll be my treat.” She asks over her morning grooming routine, brushing out her hair and washing her face.

Gilear comes up behind her, halfheartedly manipulating his appearance and finding himself distracted by the reflection of his Goblin host. He feels both intimidated and attracted even now, thoughts still on her voice and way her breath had felt on his neck. “Few things could make me happier.” All of this still feels so unreal to him. She dons her holster and retrieves her keys, wallet and badge before turning to Gilear. “Ready?” He looks up from fishing his socks out from under the bed and nods. “Of course.”

The trip to Sklonda’s car barely registers to either of them but goes by silently, reality starting to weigh on on the both of them once again. Pulling into the diner’s parking lot, they both wait a moment, lost in thought. Sklonda had to shake work from her mind, putting it off for just an hour or so more. She didn’t want to be rude to Gilear. With her hand on the door, she glanced over to him. “Thanks… for last night. I’m glad you were there with me.” It still feels so dangerous to be vulnerable but no part of her feels as if he will hurt her. 

They exited the car and head inside. Settling into a booth, they faced one another while a halfling waitress poured out coffee for them and set down menus. Gilear had trouble making eye contact as he attempted to navigate his feelings. The previous night had been the most comfortable he’d felt in over a year. He fiddled with his mug as he mustered the confidence to browse the menu for something appropriately priced for breakfast. Sklonda caught herself watching Gilear as he scanned the menu, the sadness he carried himself with was familiar to her. After a moment she took a menu for herself and registered nothing on it. She always got the breakfast platter and despite this she pretended to read the columns of offered items, barely registering the words there. 

When their waitress came back Sklonda rattled off her usual order, handing the menu back. Gilear decided to have the same. Left alone once again the silence grew a little more awkward between them. Sklonda cleared her throat and sipped at her coffee as she stretched her foot out underneath the table and grazed his knee with the toe of her shoe. Gilear jumped slightly, he hadn’t expected the affection to continue on outside of the apartment. “So…” He opened, wrapping his hands around his mug of coffee. “When do you get off work tonight?” Gilear felt heat rise to his cheeks as it was so often prone to do when he was in this woman’s presence. 

“I don’t know, honestly.” Sklonda admitted. “I had planned on staying late to see what I could do for the kids to tell you the truth.” She noticed a little belatedly the look of disappointment on the Elf’s face. “If it’s not too late I uh- I should like to come calling.” Gilear clarified before hurriedly taking a drink from his mug. Sklonda made a noise into her own coffee at his words. “Oh. I- uh, I could-” she coughed, pushing hair from her face, cheeks darkening a shade or two. “I’ll keep that in mind.” 

Sklonda lapsed into silence until their food arrived, thanking the waitress. Gilear still wasn’t entirely used to Goblin dining habits, he sat captivated by the sight of her, his cup paused in front of his lips. She ignored the utensils on the table and brought the plate to her face, using a slice of toast to sweep food to her mouth. His stomach swam with a visceral reaction to her, fright and interest fighting one another. Realizing he was staring he turned his gaze down to his own spread and began tucking in much more delicately.

Eating in silence punctuated with the routine rhythm of mastication and polite non-verbal noises of enjoyment, they made quick work of their respective plates. Which was good, time had started to slip away from the two and soon Sklonda was calling for the check. Getting back into the car after the first hot meal he’d had since they’d dined together last, Gilear tried to wrap his head around Fig being in prison and the night he’d had as a result. It seemed she’d never be done playing the part of his wing-man. It was dawning on him how well things had been going and it was leaving him just a little paranoid. Nothing went this well for him. Not for a while now. He glanced at Sklonda on the driver’s side which sat higher than his own giving her a proper view out. It was hard to forget how different they were. Everything from her small stature and sharp teeth to the claw-like nails at the ends of her green fingers. Gilear couldn’t help but feel intimidated, a tingle running through his leg at the knee she’d been stroking under the table earlier. 

The business of getting his keys and retrieving his car from the impound was quick and painless thanks to Sklonda’s presence. There was a brief pause outside his car where she’d walked with him through the lot. Any time he stopped to think about her he could feel his heart beat faster in his chest. “Thank you.” He started, awkwardly staring down at his feet for a moment. “For everything, truly. You’re a remarkable woman.” 

Sklonda clocked the area quickly, making sure none of her coworkers were near to spy on what she planned to do next. She grabbed a fistful of Gilear’s stained shirt and tugged him down with a brief ripping sound as her nails travelled a short distance through the fabric. Their lips collided messily, her more conical teeth scraping his lips while she took the lead in guiding him around her mouth. Sturdy arms wrapped around his neck, securing him in place for the duration to ensure he heard the words muttered afterwards. “I’ll see you after work.” 

She was gone in moments, disappearing among the rows of vehicles in the impound lot. Scratching his chest, Gilear’s fingers caught in the holes left behind. A very real reminder of what had just happened. Fiddling with his keys a little longer, Gilear finally gets behind the wheel of his car and readjusts the seat and rear-view mirror before taking off. His first order of business was letting himself back into his own apartment and cleaning up before work. Which he was already late for. Rushing through a modified morning routine and switching out his shirt for one with fewer holes, Gilear showed up to the school kitchen donning his hairnet. 

——

Sklonda made for her office, stopping to get a cup of coffee on her way. With Gilear gone her mind began refilling with thoughts of tasks undone and fears for the future. She weaves through the light traffic in the hall with an overhand grip on her porcelain mug. Her office still feels too new. It hasn’t been all that long since her promotion and the walls haven’t quite been filled yet with much of her personality. Her desk, however, was brimming with cases and files. It felt like someone higher up was trying to drown her in files to slow her down. And unfortunately they’d been quite successful whoever they were. 

Having just sat down, Sklonda is interrupted from her thoughts by a knock at her door. “Come in.” She calls, stacking and rearranging the chaos on her desk. Angela Worrel stepped in looking terminally fed up, shaking a stack of papers and dropping them on her ‘in’ pile. “Ms. Gukgak. I’ll need these filled out for your whole team. You’re all under review.”

Sklonda felt resentment boil in her gut, watching the elf bog her down with more busy work. When she should be helping her son. “I’ll get right on that, Agent Worrel.” Her voice felt tighter than she would have liked. Betraying her emotions right now just wasn’t in her best interests. 

“Good.” Angela adjusted her sunglasses and stared down at Sklonda, sizing her up. She wasn’t entirely sure what she should expect from her now that her son had been incarcerated. It probably felt pretty personal. It wasn’t. This town was just absolutely backward and someone had to straighten it out. “Oh. And a Ranger is here to see you. I believe she’s one of the other parents. Sandra-Lynn Faeth.”

Sklonda nodded. “Thank you. I’ll have those papers filled out for you as soon as possible.” She dropped her gaze and returned to organizing the mess on her desk and letting Angela see herself out. Inside Sklonda felt something akin to dread take root where frustration had just been. She’d forgotten she’d agreed to meet Sandra-Lynn this morning to talk about the kids. Had she seen her and Gilear come in together? Would she care? The whirlwind of worry stole a minute or two from Sklonda as she froze in place with papers she could barely recognize in her hands. She had to read the first few paragraphs to remind herself where they belonged before stashing them in her desk.

Now that her space looked halfway presentable Sklonda stepped back out of her office to collect her guest. A lump formed in her throat as she spotted Sandra-Lynn through the trickle of officers milling around the common area. She seemed distracted looking around and wringing her long bow in her hands. Sklonda cleared her throat as she approached. “I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long. Would you like a coffee or something?” Sandra-Lynn’s gaze found her quickly and Sklonda still couldn’t tell if she’d spotted her and Gilear. She wasn’t about to bring it up. They had much bigger fish to fry. 

“Coffee sounds nice, actually.” Sandra-Lynn stood up and walked with Sklonda to the coffee maker. With a coffee in hand they stole away to Sklonda’s office. Rounding her desk to sit down, Sklonda let out a long sigh. “I really appreciate you coming in to see me.” She opens, bringing her much cooler cup of coffee to her lips. “I don’t have a lot of resources at my disposal for this. Or many people I can trust.” Sandra-Lynn nodded. “I heard. We had a few Harvestmen in the Rangers, too. It’s been hard filling the gaps on such short notice.” 

They shared a moment of grim silence, clock ticking away in the dead air between them. Sklonda brought out a pen, scrawling a note on a pad of paper. Once finished, she tears the note free and folds it up. “I need you to leave this at a dead drop near the border. I have an old contact who might still be active; We should be able to learn a little more from him if he is.” She hadn’t contacted Pok’s handler since the funeral. Was he even still alive? She knew better than most how short the lifespan of an agent could be. She ducked under her desk to access the false bottom on her lower drawer, retrieving a stamp and inkpad that she marked the folded paper with. “This will let you locate the drop.”

She makes full eye contact with Sandra-Lynn as she hands over the note, something she hadn’t realized she’d been avoiding until now. She felt vulnerable and disarmed, not entirely sure why she worried about her judgement or… blessing? She wasn’t entirely sure what she wanted. “I’ll get it there before I head into work.” Sandra-Lynn promises, somewhat confused by Sklonda’s distracted nature. “Is Fig doing well?” The question had been burning in the back of her mind since she’d left the previous night.

Sklonda laughed softly. “She’s been giving Agent Worrel hell. It’s making things interesting.” Her comment seemed to comfort her company. 

“I’d like to give her hell, too.” She murmurs under her breath before clearing her throat and recovering with a swallow of coffee. 

Sklonda offered a toothy grin, she had very keen hearing and Sandra-Lynn’s comment hadn’t escaped her. “We can start by going over her head.” Her Elven company grew pink around the ears and Sklonda couldn’t help but like it. Had elves always been this cute? Or had five years just left his this pent up?

Sandra-Lynn tried to chuckle away the embarrassment of being caught, brandishing the stamped note a little awkwardly. “I should get on that.” She stands, abandoning her coffee cup. “You’ll let me know if-… when you get a response?” She wanted to keep confident they could handle this. 

Sklonda nodded. “I’ll call you as soon as I know something. Have a safe day at work.” She waved her off and as soon as the door clicked shut she slumped in her chair, covering her face and making a long, low noise of exhaustion. That had been way more emotionally taxing than she’d been expecting.  
——  
Gilear’s day was mostly a blur, thankfully arranging trays of frozen food in an oven could be done without much heavy mental contribution. The school’s lunch lad was in no state for that today. He was extremely aware of various parts of his body, lips, teeth, tongue, fingers and legs. He felt hot under his shirt and it had nothing to do with the steam tables where he stood turning over ladles of something roughly homogeneous to a seemingly endless line of students. 

He hardly noticed the final bell while he prepared the next day’s order. But as he instinctively waited a moment or two in the parking lot, Fig’s location took up space in his mind and he felt a soft dread. Fig didn’t belong in a prison. Many fond memories of his daughter in bright pastels and ruffly dresses going to festivals with her hand in his flooded his thoughts. His princess in prison. His eyes burned as it settled in on him. It was here and now he experienced something he’d felt once before. When he’d took his pain out on Fig the day her horns had started to show. He’d failed her as a father. 

He rested his forehead on the steering wheel, keys still in his pocket. Should he visit her? Would she want to see him? Would this have happened if he’d gone with them when she’d asked? A sour ache took root in his chest and for a few minutes more Gilear fought off a few tears before he could collect himself enough to feel confident driving home. 

Some combination of impulse, romanticism and anxiety led Gilear to buy wine and chocolates instead of actual groceries in his avoidance to face his apartment and the long wait alone until Sklonda would return from work. And long it was. Gilear changed out the ice on the wine twice before he heard footsteps in the hallway and his heart jumped in his throat as he peered through the peephole to confirm it was her, angling his gaze awkwardly to check the lower third of the view offered to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was getting a bit long so I figured I'd divide it up a little. Hopefully I'll be faster with the third chapter, thanks everyone for reading and giving Kudos, it means so much to me. I'd love to hear more feedback and also please join me for my weekly art streams on Twitch Wednesdays @7pm EST https://www.twitch.tv/rainydaze420 and light a fire under my ass to write more. <3


	3. Dinner Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sklonda and Gilear have a late dinner and fool around.

It seemed like the sound had been a false alarm. He couldn’t see her through the fish-eyed lens no matter which way he angled his view. Slowly his spirits descended. 

Sklonda’s forehead pressed against the door to Gilear’s apartment, her thoughts fried from the hours long slog of paperwork. The time spent at work had made the night before seem like a memory from years ago. Was he awake? She’d had to stay later than she’d wanted thanks to that extra stack Angela had given her. 

Staring down at the floor her questions seemed to be answered, she could see the shadow of his feet shuffling around from the light under the door. Her knock earned some ruckus from the other side as Gilear tried to collect himself before answering and act like he hadn’t just been staring out his peephole looking for her. 

The door swung open and Sklonda lifted up a box of cold take-out. “Hungry?” She asked, peering into his apartment. She didn’t usually come calling to his place. Usually Riz and his friends would bring him over to her place. The sparse bachelor’s pad wasn’t surprising to her, it seemed to fit the man she’d grown to know over the last few months. 

“Oh- Y-yes, actually. I- I haven’t found much time to eat today. But I- Uh… I’ve taken care of dessert.” He gestured for her to come in, fetching the box of chocolates and fumbling with them as he presented the gift. “And refreshments.” He pointed to the wine in the bucket of mostly melted ice. 

Sklonda was stunned for a moment, holding the box, gaze settled on the wine. “Gil you really didn’t have to.” She could feel a tinge of panic in her chest. Wine and chocolates felt like romantic commitment and she wasn’t sure she was ready for that. But she did appreciate it. She hadn’t had many chances since Pok’s passing to have any kind of date. Taking care of Riz and keeping a roof over their heads had taken precedence. Now that she had a little privacy and someone who was definitely growing on her. It was hard not to want a little connection. This was such a bad idea. She closed the door behind her. “But you don’t need to twist my arm to put a drink my hand.” She offered a smile, kicking off her shoes and glancing up at the ceiling to check for a water stain to make sure she didn’t make Gilear’s mistake and leave them under it. Maintenance didn’t come around Strongtower very often unless one had the tenacity to badger them. Gilear clearly didn’t.

Setting down the take-out, there was a pause between them as they both tried to figure out how much work they were willing to do for this dinner. Sklonda’s focus was on the wine more than the food. She felt the cardboard of the chocolate buckle before she realized how tightly she held them. “I’ll fetch some glasses.” It dawned on him that he didn’t have any stemware. Usually he just drank from the bottle or a mug if he was trying to pretend he had some dignity left. “Or rather, just cups.” He corrects himself, shyly bringing down two mismatched mugs. One Fig had decorated as a birthday present when she’d been a child. The other a slightly chipped one with a nearly completely worn out graphic printed in white on the black surface.

Sklonda fished out the food from the bag and left the chocolates on the counter, heading for the couch to sit and eat. Gilear joining her with the mugs filled. Sitting beside one another, they shifted and exchanged food for drink, manoeuvring into a comfortable configuration to eat and talk. About what? Neither of them had any idea. A polite and strangely comfortable silence fell over them for a while as they picked over the cold takeout, sipping wine from mugs and stealing shy glances. 

An apartment that usually felt impersonal and empty slowly grew more comfortable. Gilear eating slowly and focusing on the content of his takeout container without really registering what it was, thoughts churning around and dominating his senses. He cleared his throat just as Sklonda opened her mouth to say something which halted both of them in their tracks, lapsing into another short stint of silence. Sklonda broke the silence first, looking to buy a little more time. “How about a little more wine?” She asks, offering up the mug she’d finished off a few moments earlier. 

Gilear took the chance to collect himself gladly and gathered their mugs to refill. He was still trying to sort himself out and perhaps making a move wasn’t the right thing to do exactly. But things were going so well and and it gave him just enough momentum to keep going where he would otherwise shrink away altogether. He had a question on his tongue and was struggling to loose it, fear made his lips stick and the words cumbersome. From the counter where he tipped the bottle into each vessel he managed to pry his enquiry free. “Sklonda- I… I was hoping… would you stay the night? I would-… very much appreciate the companionship.”

Sklonda felt her face heat up and her throat tighten just a bit. There it was. Exactly what she had wanted. And here she thought she’d need to make a bigger move. She was caught off guard and she sucked on her teeth as she navigated the answer. She could feel Gilear’s anxiety heighten with each silent second. “I would, too.” She admits, biting her lip afterwards. Once again feeling vulnerable around anyone was pretty alien to her but at least it didn’t feel so dangerous. Very little about Gilear felt dangerous. Though she wasn’t sure she wanted to say that to his face. 

Gilear didn’t realize he’d been holding his breath until he’d let it go. Hearing her agree felt like being released from an iron grip. Bringing slightly over-full mugs back to the couch, he settled beside her and took a swallow from his own as he gingerly passed hers off. This was more than he’d anticipated happening tonight but it was very much welcome. Draining a little more wine from his mug, Gilear felt confident he wouldn’t spill if he leaned back and got comfortable again. “How was work?” He wasn’t sure how to press her about Fig’s well-being while still maintaining an air of intimacy. He hated to choose his own comfort over his concern for his daughter but he really couldn’t do anything for her right now. 

Gulping down a portion of the wine in her cup enough to move around safely, Sklonda closed the gap between them and lay back into Gilear’s side, tucking her legs up underneath her. He felt warm and soft and it reminded her of the night before. Sweet comfort if only for a few hours. Her eyes closed as she felt an arm drop around her shoulders. Oh. Yes, that’s what she’d been missing. Just a little contact. Just a little intimacy. She hadn’t had company like this in a long time. 

For a while Gilear could only contemplate how small Sklonda was against his body. His arm around her shoulders, she was pressed snugly into him. He could only marvel at her. He wasn’t sure how long this would last, he was certain his novelty was beginning to wear off already. He doubted she found him to be much more. But he started doubting that as he felt her hand on his leg, squeezing slightly as she readjusted herself, cheek pressing against his chest. He was certain she could feel his heartbeat pounding against the back of his ribs. 

Sklonda could indeed feel Gilear’s heartbeat thrumming under her cheek. And after a while of sipping at her drink and revelling in just feeling warm against someone her mug was empty again. This was getting to be more alcohol than she should be drinking knowing she had work in the morning. But the part of her that was sensible was being pushed out by the satisfying feeling of Gilear’s heartbeat and the knowledge that she’d survived hangovers and regret sitting behind her desk before. But was she really sure she’d regret whatever this was they had?

Gilear didn’t dare get up at this point, gaze fixed on her lips. The arm around her shifts a little as he strokes a few strands of dark hair from Sklonda’s cheek. Every fibre of his being wants to kiss her, wants to worship her if he’s being honest. He is rarely honest with himself. It’s often a painful thing. But not now. Not here where there’s been something, however small, growing between him and this fascinating woman. She was diminutive and yet altogether too much for him. 

Sklonda turned her head into the stroke of her cheek, kissing at the palm of his hand and even gently nibbling on the soft flesh she found there. He did not have hands for manual labour, she felt a little mean, a little judgemental, thinking of him as safe and soft. But he was. He was like a warm heavy duvet draped over her shoulders. She could fall asleep sitting up right here. She shifted and abandoned her mug, climbing up into his lap and straddling one of his legs to kiss him, slower than the one from this morning. She could feel her own heartbeat quicken, letting her teeth graze his bottom lip. “I think I’m ready for dessert.” She mutters, pulling herself free and dropping from the couch to the floor. She sways a little on her way to the counter where she fetched the chocolates. 

She could feel where she’d nervously crushed the box earlier. Puncturing the plastic wrap with one of her nails on her way back to the couch she paused in front of him. “Let’s take this in bed.” She suggested, reaching for Gilear’s hand and giving him a small tug. He followed her direction easily, moving with her pull and following his path right to her lips once again. He was becoming a little more confident with the wine in his system. Perhaps even a little overconfident. Kissing her, his arms wrapped around her and lifted her frame up against him. She made a noise of shock, not expecting the action. Leaning into him, Sklonda wrapped an arm around his neck to keep herself secure. Her heart was pounding and she wasn’t sure if it was anxiety about being dropped or excitement or both. She broke from the messy kiss Gilear was still attempting and put her free hand on his mouth, tapping his cheek. “You’re lucky I’m kinda into this right now.” She growls, usually quite offended by being lifted and carried. She leaned, nipping at his ear and tracing his lips with one of her nails. “Don’t get used to carrying me. But take me to bed.”

For a moment Gilear doesn’t trust himself to move, his knees feel so weak and all he can do is lean his head forward and kiss the pad of her fingertip, letting the point of her nail dig into his lip a little. His heart is in his throat as he stands to his full height and takes his first step forward only to hit his shin on the coffee table. He does his best to shake it off, squeezing Sklonda and chuckling through his nerves as he sidesteps his furniture and makes for the door to the bedroom. “I really am lucky, you’re absolutely breathtaking.” 

Sklonda could feel something swim inside her. Her nail punctured the cardboard of the chocolate box as she nosed through his thinning hair. "Why do you have to say things like that? Do you know when I last heard that kind of talk?" Her voice trembled a little, her body shifted, pressing into Gilear a little harder. They should both know better than this. They should be moving slower than this. But she isn't sure she wants to move slower. She wants to push further. She wants to go to work tired tomorrow.

Gilear has trouble navigating her words, not entirely sure what she means by them he squeezes her in return. "Is it upsetting you?" He asks with a soft uncertainty, laying her back on his mattress among the unmade covers. His hands slip over her legs as he climbs on the bed with her. 

Sklonda tugs him down, the box of chocolates abandoned on the bed as she cards her fingers through his hair. "It's… frustrating." She admits vaguely, leaving it open to interpretation even to herself. She guides his face closer for a slow, indecisive kiss. "I shouldn't want this so badly." She mutters against his lips. "I have so much work, I haven't had time for this in years."

"You deserve to make time for yourself." Gilear protested, letting his fingers wander along the backs of her legs as he returned the kisses. Sklonda shivered, rolling her hips against him as she gets a little more aggressive, nipping softly at his lower lip and wandering around his jawline with exploratory nibbles. “What do you think I’m doing right now?” She breathes out in a chuckle against his pointed ears. Sklonda tugged at Gilear’s shirt, fiddling with the buttons and exposing his discoloured undershirt. She walked her fingers under the fabric, small calloused fingers cupping his chest and gently tweaking the pale pink flesh. This earned a gasp from Gilear, his hips rocking forward into the space beneath Sklonda, their height difference keeping things from connecting. "T-tormenting me?" He asked with a tremble on his tone.

"Oh, you haven't experienced torment yet, Gil." Sklonda purred seductively, letting her teeth graze the shell of his ear. "I can do so much more." She pinches the hardening flesh with her sharp little nails, his mouth opening, lips trembling as she pushed into his space for another kiss. "Get on your back." Her instructions are clear and her grip is certain, leading him onto the mattress to climb on top of him. Sitting directly on his hips and stirring them to settle herself in; she makes direct eye contact with Gilear as she unbuttons her top and sheds it, tossing it clear of the bed. 

Gilear’s hands rose slowly, unsure if he’s welcome to touch her just yet. His hands land on her hips, palms exploring the soft flesh, her stretch marks were slightly darker than the rest of her skin and felt smoother, too. Sklonda squirmed slightly, the snails pace combined with his rapt attention on her body has her filling with nerves. He traces a line up her back, echoing her earlier actions by walking two fingers up to the clasp of her bra. The distance was a lot shorter on her than on Sandra-lynn and he hated himself a little for thinking it. He managed with one hand to pinch the clasps apart, liberating her of the garment which soon joined her blouse. “You’re absolutely breathtaking.” He murmurs, craning his neck to get a better view of her. 

Sklonda covered his mouth with a hand, cheeks burning. “Use that mouth for something better.” She muttered, scooting up his body, sitting on his chest and shifting around to rid herself of her slacks. Gilear’s pulse quickened, sitting up and toppling her back onto the bed in the process. “Oh- I- I’m sorry.” He managed to chuckle out, hovering over her to kiss at her neck and around her cheek. He reached for her buckle and fiddled with the small strap, biting his lip. “But I would prefer to have you on your back now.” He kisses between her breasts and down to the small protrusion of her sternum. “That is. If you’d still like me to use my mouth.” He noses her ribs, mouth on her soft stomach. 

Instinctively Sklonda’s knees curled in for a moment. Her face felt hot, staring down at Gilear eager to please. “You heard what I said.” She lifted her hips as Gilear pulled down her slacks and underwear in one go. The cool air hitting the skin of her thighs and brushing past her pubic hair makes her toes curl a little. This feels like a high school fling, immature and ahead of itself. And just as exhilarating. Her fingers combed through his hair, focused on his face as her knees fell apart, letting him into her space once again. 

Gilear kissed the insides of Sklonda’s thighs, shimmying to adjust his height and get down on her level. Part of Sklonda wanted to grab onto his ears and tug his face against her just to get things started, the way he draws everything out is starting to get maddening. Sensing the tension building in his guest, Gilear obliges with what he assumes is what she wants. His thumbs caress over her labia, spreading her and tracing her folds with his tongue. Sklonda arched her back, rolling herself against his tongue as she comes into contact with it. He’s almost startled by her participation, her fingers curling in his hair and holding him in place for her rocking. His confidence was somewhat bolstered by her clear arousal, her taste coating his tongue as he navigated her clitoris and boldly let a finger or two join the mix. He wished he had more light and more freedom to study her, a nagging fear said he probably wouldn’t get another chance. Soon his tongue and digits switched places, the pads of his fingers stroking her while his tongue probed inside.

Sklonda was beginning to feel like sex with an elf would just be regular sex. But when a tongue belonged to a creature naturally nearly twice one’s size… it was a slightly new sensation. Gilear’s tongue twisted tenaciously, working inside and filling her out. A few realities were beginning to dawn on them past their mild inebriation. This could very well take more planning than they’d thought initially. That wasn’t stopping either of them just yet. Her grip tightened on his hair and tugged him a little closer, hips jerking a little the more his fingertips circled and stroked her clit. Her legs wrapped around his head, she was almost folding herself around him at this point, Gilear encouraged by her throaty, needy noises and bucking hips.

Sklonda could feel herself teetering over the edge, her nails raking over Gilear’s back, looking for something, anything, to ground her. Gilear showed no signs of slowing down even when Sklonda fell back and continued to squirm and wriggle, oversensitive after being carried over her peak. Panting heavily, Sklonda pushed Gilear’s face from between her legs, getting a good look at him. “That’s- mmmh, that’s me taken care of.” She sits up, cupping his cheeks in her hands. “Now it’s your turn.” She tosses his button-down and undershirt to the side. She was dancing around things a little, partly because he’d done his share of it. But also because she’d never been with someone who wasn’t a Goblin. She wanted to reciprocate in some way and the obvious route lay in front of her. 

Clumsily shedding the last of his clothes; Gilear accidentally smacked Sklonda with the back of his foot while shaking his shorts and boxers off his leg with a little too much gusto. “Sorry.” He goes red, ears burning slightly. Sklonda waves it off with a chuckle, it’s not surprising that he’d follow up his performance with a fumble. It didn’t bother her so much, a smile still playing at her lips. She finally had a moment to see what she was working with. Average for an Elf, perhaps even a little below, Sklonda felt out the size and girth. She licked her lips, stroking the length and bowing her head to meet the tip. 

Gilear trembled, trying to keep his hips still, suddenly very aware of how many teeth she had and how sharp they were. Her lips made contact with the head of his arousal, tongue sneaking out and tracing over the frenulum. His nerves started to dissolve, Sklonda taking her time with open mouthed kisses down the length and to the base of his erection; familiarizing herself with him. He grew more vocal the more she explored. She set her jaw wide with her first attempt wrapping her lips around him, stroking what just wouldn’t fit in her mouth and fondling his balls in tandem. Sklonda bobbed her head, pausing from time to time at the head to tease the slit and catch a glimpse of his expression; Eyes closed, head tossed back, a bright flush of colour across his chest and stomach. She really felt like she shouldn’t like that as much as she did. 

It wasn’t long before Gilear was sinking his hips back into the mattress and trying to get out some kind of warning. Sklonda took the hint and pulled back in time, the remnants of his climax splashing across his body and tangling in pale body hair. The room was silent except for their heavy breathing as they caught their breath, making eye contact and letting what they’d just done wash over them for a moment. Sklonda tangled their fingers together, sliding toward the edge of the bed. “I need to use the bathroom.” She kisses the back of his hand tugging him along with her. He needed to get cleaned up too. 

The bathroom was far from immaculate, the signs of habitual lateness and exhaustion peppered the area, piles of clothes, toothpaste on the mirror and faucet. A bottle of shampoo near the sink. Sklonda swung her feet as she sat peeing, Gilear in front of the mirror with a damp face cloth, washing himself off and avoiding eye contact, embarrassed at the state of his place. He wished he’d done more than nervously pace around while he’d been home alone. Sklonda was slow to admit how much of this she understood. Depression was a strange beast to live with. After wiping they switched places and Sklonda climbed up on the counter to wash her hands without difficulty. She remained there when she was done, hands still damp after a brief towelling and letting the cool air catch up to her. Thoughts swam through her head, it was still catching up to her what she and Gilear were doing.

They returned to the bed hand in hand, crawling under the covers and leaning into one another.


End file.
